The Apothecary
by Lialane Graest
Summary: The Lord will do everything in his power to make certain that his Lady is happy, which includes having the town's apothecary move into the manor with them. Under the apothecary's tutelage dark parts of the Lady are exposed. Medieval AU.


"Will that be all for you, then?"

The red headed man just nodded, his arm laced through a black haired beauty's. The silver haired man behind the counter handed the bag across the counter to him, the contents clinking together with the gentle chime of glass.

"Thank you, your wares are always of the utmost quality, my good sir."

"Of course; I wouldn't sully my name by selling anything less than the highest quality, Lord Albarn."

"Until next time, then."

"Yes, m'Lord."

Lord Spirit Albarn turned to leave when the apothecary's voice called out to him. "M'Lord, something I forgot to mention. We have recently received a shipment of something called tobacco. Apparently it is meant to be smoked, should I have some sent to your estate?"

"Have you tried it yourself, Stein?"

"I have."

"Do you recommend it?"

"Highly, m'Lord."

"Then send me what you do not want for your own personal use and charge it all to my account."

"Yes, m'Lord."

He left after that, the black haired woman on his arm looking over her shoulder to smile at the silver haired man.

* * *

"Has the shipment from the apothecary arrived yet?" Spirit asked one of his servants.

"It has, m'Lord, and it awaits you in your study."

Spirit smiled at the servant and turned on his heels, the woman following along behind him.

"Now, Charlotte, my dear, you know that women do not smoke," Spirit chided as she walked into his study behind him.

"I know that, my love, but that does not mean that I cannot spend the time with you while you do, is that correct?"

Spirit smiled an indulgent smile at her. "Of course, my dear. If it were anyone but you, I would tell them no, but I can deny you nothing." He kissed the back of her hand, Charlotte's cheeks reddening. "You don't have to be embarrassed my love, I would do anything for you."

She smiled back at him as he moved over to the desk and opened the tin that contained the tobacco. He looked perplexed until he found the small slip of paper underneath the tin that the apothecary had included; it detailed the proper way to smoke the tobacco, and that the apothecary had included a pipe for him to do so.

With a smile Lord Spirit Albarn, thought to be the richest man in the country, reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a small asbestos bottle that sloshed slightly. Charlotte looked curiously as he produced some type of wooden stick and carefully uncorked the bottle. He then dipped the stick into it, and when he removed it, the end of the stick burst into flames*. She clapped excitedly as he recorked the bottle quickly, and then lit the pipe.

A few puffs later he looked at her slyly. "Milady, would you wish to try the marvel known as tobacco?"

She blushed but nodded. He came to where she was sitting, and helped her to carefully hold the pipe and take a breath. She immediately began to cough, and he sat the pipe to the side as he watched her with concern.

"I… I believe that perhaps it isn't ladylike to smoke, my Lord."

He just laughed, "You may be correct, my love. Would you like to go and practice your singing or perhaps you would like to have one of the servants read to you?"

She gave him a smile. "I believe that I would like to go back out, my Lord. Would that be alright?"

He looked at her for a moment. "I can accompany you," he replied with a smile.

"I wouldn't ask you to forsake your new hobby!" she exclaimed with mock horror. "I will take one of the servants, and be return shortly, if that is acceptable."

He leaned down to kiss her, and she tasted the tobacco on his lips. He pulled back and gave her another indulgent smile. "I can deny you nothing, my love. I will miss you."

"And I you, my Lord."

* * *

The silver haired apothecary looked up as the bell on his shop door rang. "I'm sorry, but we're closed- Oh, it is you, Lady Charlotte, what can I do for you and Lord Albarn today?"

"My good sir, I was wondering if I may speak privately to you."

Stein looked around the empty shop. "My lady, but we are already in a private audience."

Charlotte looked over her shoulder at the servant she had brought with her. "I would speak with the apothecary privately."

The white haired servant bowed, and then stepped out of the shop.

"My good sir, I apologize for the interruption when I know that you are closing your shop for the day and becoming ready to return to your family for the evening but-"

"My lady, I have no family to return home to. I live in this shop."

She smiled, and it disarmed the apothecary.

"My lady, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"It is simple, my dear apothecary. My Lord will deny me nothing for my happiness. And I want you."

* * *

Charlotte stood in front of Spirit, her fingers plucking at the side of her dress. She had never seen him look so stern or upset with her.

"My Lord, I'm sorry… I… I didn't think."

"This isn't something that you can fix with a simple apology… you have asked for the apothecary to give up his personal business and become our private apothecary. How do you expect him to support his family, love?"

Charlotte bowed her head. "He has no family, my Lord. He lives by himself, in his shop. He has not even an apprentice."

"He is not a pet that can be dismissed when you tire of it. You have asked for a private apothecary, and while I will give you what you ask for, my love, there must be a consequence for acting so rashly. You will apprentice under him. It is not unheard of for women to be apothecaries."

Charlotte smiled up at him. "Thank you, my Lord, thank you!"

He captured her hand in his and brought it to his lips. "Anything for you, my love. It was well known that he is the only apothecary we would use, so it will not look strange. I can deny you nothing, you know that."

Charlotte felt the blush spread across her cheeks and just nodded.

* * *

"I do not understand why you requested that I be your private apothecary, Lady Charlotte," Stein said as his belongings were being moved.

"It is well known that you are the only apothecary that my Lord and I frequent. Perhaps I simply grew tired of the ride to your shop, and decided that I would have you closer for when I wished to explore your wares. It matters not, my Lord has agreed to it," Charlotte said as she watched his items being moved into the small area that Lord Spirit had given the man for his personal quarters.

Stein didn't consider the area small. It was nearly twice the size of the living area he had lived in above his shop, and he had already learned that the Lord had sat aside another area for a work area for him. It was the best thing that could have happened to him, a widower of seven years, so why should it cause him such apprehension?

"There is another thing."

Stein remembered to bow as she stepped over the threshold and into his room. "What is that, Lady Charlotte?"

"From today forward I am your apprentice."

Stein's eyes opened wide. "My Lady, surely Lord Albarn will object; this is not the craft for a woman."

Her smile sent shivers down his spine as she spoke, "Oh, but it was Lord Albarn's idea. And Apothecary? When I am serving as your apprentice, you will refer to me simply as Charlotte. That would please me greatly. We will begin my training in the morning."

Stein stood there watching as she left his room, his mind spinning at the thought of having to train the Lord's betrothed as an apothecary.

* * *

"My Lady, you must handle that with more care-"

"Charlotte."

Stein sighed. "If your husband-to-be heard me addressing you as Charlotte, my Lady, he would have me drawn and quartered. That is-"

" 'Far too familiar a term for a servant to use with their superior.' You seem to forget, Apothecary, that you are not one of our servants, and I am currently your apprentice. You will refer to me as Charlotte."

"Yes my… Charlotte."

She smiled sweetly, her hand brushing against his as she reached for the mortar and pestle that was sitting beside him.

"I believe I would like to learn how to make tobacco today, Apothecary."

He couldn't stop the laugh. She glared at him and the smile fell from his face, apologies on his lips.

"I simply do not see what was so funny about my statement. My Lord enjoys it, and I would know how to make it for him."

"My La- Charlotte, I do not make it. It is grown. The shipment I received included seeds for the plants, and I have already planted them. That is all there is to it."

She stood, sitting the mortar and pestle down. "Then I would see the plants."

"They are but seeds in the ground, and it has nothing to do with your apprenticeship-"

"I will see the plants."

Stein sighed but stood, following the young lady out of his workspace and through the manor proper. He held his hat in his hands, twisting the brim as he stood outside the Lord's private study. He could hear them speaking, before he heard the Lord make a sound of assent.

Charlotte came out of the room, a radiant smile on her face. "It is settled, Apothecary. My Lord is interested in seeing these plants as well, and we will all be going to see the plantings and perhaps bring a few back to the manor to plant here so they will be closer to you."

* * *

The next hour was incredibly uncomfortable for Stein. He sat across from the Lord and his Lady, listening to Charlotte prattle on about how beautiful the countryside was this day, and Spirit's answering overly sweet comparisons to her own beauty.

He longed for his Marie. He watched the countryside go past, acutely aware of her loss now that he was trapped in a carriage with two people obviously in love. He was so observed in his thoughts that he didn't hear what the Lord asked him.

"I'm sorry, my Lord, I was simply remembering something."

"It's quite alright, Stein. I was simply inquiring to how the Lady Charlotte's progress is coming along."

"She will make a fine apothecary if you wish it, my Lord," Stein lied through his teeth. The woman was smart, but there were still too many things that he had to address. "However… if you would permit her to learn to read, she could become a spectacular one."

Lord Albarn removed a pipe from his coat pocket, carefully lighting it. He took a single puff of it before exhaling the smoke into the air. "Do you believe that, Stein? That she should be permitted to fritter her time away reading? Surely you employ servants that can do that for you."

"I would like to learn," Charlotte's quiet voice interrupted.

Spirit turned to her, his hands covering hers tenderly as he smiled. "Then you will."

* * *

Stein was relieved. With Lady Charlotte out of his hair and learning to both read and write, he could take the time to mix together the medications that Lord Albarn's servants had nearly ruined when they had moved his stores. He spent long days in the work area of his new "shop" recreating the medications and tonics he knew the village below the manor would need.

All the relocation had done was make certain that some of the old and feeble would be unable to come to him now. It was because of that that the apothecary was filling a box with some medications, intent on taking them to the church and allowing them to be distributed to the people that way. He didn't even care about the pay.

One of the villagers had a sick wife. If he was correct the man would need him to perform surgery on his wife. Stein's hands itched. It would be very nice to "help" the woman. It was with a spring in his step that he loaded the box into one of the carriages that littered Lord Albarn's estate and stepped into it.

Charlotte's voice called out to the driver and Stein cursed silently. A moment later she was seated across from him, a smile on her face as she opened a book.

"I would that you would listen to me read, Apothecary. It is only at your assent that I will be pleased with my progress."

He sighed, "Very well, my Lady."

He tuned her out until he realized what she was reading. In his surprise he grabbed the book from her hands and flipped it over so he could see the cover.

"Does your Lord know that you are reading something like this?" Stein demanded.

"I am an apothecary's apprentice. It is necessary for me to become familiar with the workings of the body if I am to assist you. My Lord has deemed it a necessary evil."

She continued and Stein didn't bother interrupting her again. His mind was turning. He could use this interest, yes he could. He would break Lady Charlotte.

* * *

He could hear the sounds of her retching from inside the room. He didn't dare stop the surgery though, if he did the woman may die; if she died he would have no reason to perform surgery on her again, and he would be unable to see how the tumor was progressing.

Therefore, the woman had to live, and the tumor had to remain. It was fortunate for him that the man was so distraught he would never notice that what Stein excised from his wife's stomach was pieces of sponge; it was well worth the cost to the apothecary to have them imported from the sea. It wasn't the first or the last time that he would operate on the woman.

The thought brought a smile to his face. The woman's husband took the smile to mean something different though; Stein didn't bother to tell him anything different than what he assumed.

"She'll be fine, just keep her resting until harvest. That should see her healed up enough."

"Thank you, thank you, again. Will she ever be healthy again?"

"It is in the hands of God."

"Yes, yes. Always." The man dug into his pocket and pulled out a handful of seeds that were wrapped in burlap, handing them to Stein. "There are two chickens in the yard as well. If you need more-"

"No. I will not require anything for this visit. Let me know if her condition changes, and whatever you do, do not take her to the barber." Stein placed the handful of seeds back in the man's hands.

"You are a saint, my lord, a saint!"

Stein didn't answer; he just collected the Lady Charlotte and took his leave.

* * *

"My Lord Albarn, I hesitate to voice my concerns to you, but it is my opinion that your Lady Charlotte is of too delicate a constitution to continue training as my apprentice."

The redheaded man looked up. "Why is that, Stein?"

"She has a weak stomach, my Lord, and there is more to being an apothecary than simply weighing and mixing medications."

Spirit leaned back. "And how did you come to this conclusion?"

"She accompanied me on a trip to visit a sick patient. As I feared, I had to operate again on the woman. The Lady Charlotte could not handle the sight of the blood and became ill herself. She is resting in her bedchamber now, with two maids."

Spirit was on his feet before Stein finished speaking, striding past the man. He stopped with his hand on the doorknob and turned to face Stein. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, my friend."

Stein was speechless. Had the Lord Albarn just referred to him as "my friend"?

* * *

"My Lord, please!"

Spirit looked down sadly at the pale woman. "My love, I cannot allow you to make yourself ill for this. The apothecary can stay; I will not force you to be his apprentice. I will not see your health deteriorate because of my decision."

"It makes me happy!" she cried out, sitting upright, her hair cascading down her chest as she did so.

"I am sorry, my love, but you will have to have a moment of sadness mar your life. I cannot risk your health."

Charlotte was quiet for a moment. "As my Lord commands. Would you find someone to teach me the harp? I feel that would not be taxing on my health."

Spirit smiled indulgently, taking her hand gently. "Of course my love, I will. You will have the best tutor in the land."

She smiled as he pressed his lips to the back of her hand. He released her hand and moved to leave when she called out, "My Lord, the wedding ceremony, when will it be?"

He turned; a smile on his face. "It will be the first day of the harvest, my love."

"How wonderful!"

* * *

Stein looked up in surprise when Charlotte walked into his work area a few days later and seated herself on a nearby bench.

"Lady Charlotte, what can I do for you today?"

"You will make me a tonic that will cause me to not become ill when I am in the vicinity of an ill person or their fluids."

Stein couldn't stop the smirk that crossed his face. "I am sorry, my Lady, but I cannot do that. What you are asking for is something that has to be trained, not something I can give you in a bottle."

"Then train me."

"I am sorry, my Lady, but you are no longer my apprentice, at your Lord's command."

"My Lord does not know what is best for me. I dream of this, I have dreamt of that woman since that night. I would that I could have helped her. You will train me, Apothecary." There was a coldness in her voice that Stein had not heard before and it worried him.

"Tell me of your dreams, then."

She hesitated. "It is not proper to share my dreams with you."

"And it is not proper for me to train you behind your betrothed's back."

Silence stretched for a long moment. "If I tell you, you will help me overcome my weakness to their ill humors?"

"I will try."

And so it was that the apothecary Franken Stein gained a deep insight to the twisted shadows that lurked in Lord Spirit Albarn's dear betrothed's mind.

* * *

He trained her to overcome her repulsion. If he had an inkling of what he was going to cause, Franken Stein would have fled into the night, but he did not know. He could not have known.

The days turned to weeks, and the Lord Albarn spoke increasingly to the apothecary, sharing drinks and tobacco with him. He took the man hunting, though Stein did not enjoy being dragged out of his work area, and spoke with him at length of the pain of being a widower. Stein was given a stipend for his work that was well above what he should have been paid.

He became friends with the Lord Albarn. Before he knew what had happened, he was given a parcel of land and knighted. He was introduced to multiple noble women, none of which drew his attention save one.

But he knew better than to allow himself to develop feelings for the Lord's betrothed. He smiled politely to each of the women that he summarily rejected. His Marie was gone, and he would not replace her.

He didn't speak to the Lord of the dreams his Lady was having, instead choosing to keep them silent. If she wanted her betrothed to know, she would tell him. And it was improper for him to mention the dreams of a lady to anyone, despite their gory backings and the distinct feeling that he got as she described the minute details.

Perhaps some of what she was telling him weren't dreams.

* * *

The first day of the harvest was swiftly approaching when the Lord Albarn summoned him.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"There is no need to be so formal, Stein. You know that by now."

"Yes, Spirit."

A smile crossed the man's face. "I have no family. Charlotte will provide me with that. Alas, I have no one to stand with me at the wedding. I would ask that you stand with me, as my brother."

Stein stood still, his mouth opening to say something, but no words coming out.

"Come now, man. You have been here, providing us with the medications that we have needed, taking care of the villagers below us, for years. There is no single person more deserving to stand beside me than you. You may not remember it, but I do. I met you when I was but a child."

Stein's mind raced trying to remember what he could be speaking of.

"The horse."

"Yes. My horse had become injured, and we stopped at the home of your parents for shelter. They did not know who I was, or who my father was, but they took us in. I slept in your bed that night with you. It took me a while to recognize you for who you were, but I remember now. You will stand by me as my brother, will you not?"

Stein bowed. "Of course, I would be honored."

Spirit clapped his hands together. "Then it is settled, brother! You will help me with my preparations for the morrow."

* * *

It was a large ceremony. Charlotte stood straight and tall, beautiful in her red and white dress, the arms draping gorgeously almost to her knees. Spirit stood tall and handsome, his ceremonial armor polished to a brilliant shine.

A young blonde haired priest officiated the ceremony. The village cheered as the Lord lifted her veil and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. Even Stein had to admit that they were a beautiful couple.

Charlotte pulled back from Spirit, tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. "You would make me happy, my Lord?" she asked quietly.

He nodded, his voice low and intimate, full of love and promises of happiness, "Until the day I am to die, my love. And then I would wait for you beyond to make you happy then as well."

"You're a liar."

Screams tore through the crowd as Charlotte produced a knife from her bodice. She cried out wordlessly, tears falling down her eyes, the knife aimed at Spirit's throat.

Stein reacted, pushing the Lord out of the way. He had heard of this before, heard Charlotte speak of her dreams of some unknown assailant attacking the Lord at their wedding with a knife. The knife stabbed down into his chest, knocking him back into Spirit. He coughed blood.

His mind noted that the blood barely showed on the red portion of her wedding dress. She screamed again, goaded on by the sight of the blood, and in that instant he knew that what was in front of him was no longer Lady Charlotte Albarn. It was a demon possessing the young woman, ruining what should have been her happiest moment.

As the knife descended on him again, this time biting into his throat, he heard the Lord's voice calling out. It was full of agony and pain; completely unlike anything he had ever heard before. His name, of all things, was on the Lord's lips, shouts for guards being heard from all around.

As his eyes closed for the final time he felt the Lady collapse on him, Spirit's voice repeating, "I will not lose my brother, someone find me a surgeon!"

Stein chuckled weakly as the light disappeared. He was the only person who could perform a surgery within a day's ride.

* * *

The land mourned two days later. From a tree hung the Lord's beautiful bride, the ravens feasting on her tongue and eyes. In a grave lay the apothecary, buried with all the respect a noble would afford.

The Lord of the land looked across it, his eyes cold and empty. He regretted the conversations he had with the apothecary now, asking about how it was to be a widower. He knew all too well now, and he regretted placing that type of pain on the man.

He took a puff of the tobacco in his pipe and tried to tamp down his pain again. He had lost his family, again.

* * *

**A/N: This is an AU fic written for *gasp* TheAUWalker. There were a few things wrong with it, timing wise. The most notable being the inclusion of Chancel's Matches, which weren't developed until 1805. I hope that you enjoyed it, and I do not own Soul Eater or Charlotte.**

***Invented after this takes place, this is Chancel's Matches.**


End file.
